


Education

by oneatatime



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, I love two (2) good men, M/M, kinda mutual, thank you for the prompts!, there is torture but not what I personally call graphic, ymmv
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:55:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27913405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneatatime/pseuds/oneatatime
Summary: Everyone breaks in time.
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 3
Kudos: 35
Collections: Torture Flash Exchange 2020





	Education

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cherryontop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryontop/gifts).



_Everyone breaks, Doctor._

***

"He didn't touch you," Garak said, and Julian could see by the glaze in those dark eyes that the other man was only barely conscious. Only barely paying attention. 

(Only barely alive-!) 

It was a question just as much as a statement, in any case. Julian kept working as he answered, grimly aware that his voice was much less steady than his hands. "No, he didn't touch me," he said with as much gentleness as he could muster. 

He wished Dukat _had._ The stench of burnt Cardassian flesh was nauseating, a thick reek in the back of Julian's nostrils. And it would be a long, long time before he was able to forget the harshness of Garak's voice as he cried out, or the clink of his chains against rock. 

They were in the back of the _Rio Grande_ now, with Garak on the tiny curtained-off bed. It wasn't a full biobed, and Julian ached for his equipment, but at least there was a full medkit here. 

Sisko and Dax were giving them as much privacy as they could as they made their way back to DS9. 

Dukat had run, of course. 

***

_"There are things one can do to strengthen oneself, surely?" Julian asked. He watched Garak with bright eyes as he sipped his raktajino. He knew that he wasn't taking this as seriously as he should, and he as a doctor knew only too well that people sometimes delighted in hurting other people._

_But Garak himself was twinkling at him. It was so difficult to resist playing along._

_"Yes. Training, but everyone breaks in time. Or so I've heard. I'm only a simple tailor, Doctor."_

***

He managed to stabilise Garak, and even took the time for an electrolyte supplement and a change of clothes for himself. It'd been near seventy-eight hours, near three days, since they'd been taken. He'd had no water, no food, very little sleep in that time.

But he hadn't been hurt. 

They'd made him watch Garak. If Garak had resisted, they would've started on Julian. 

Garak hadn't resisted. Not an iota. 

Julian had hated Dukat before that, but he thought to himself as he watched Garak's unconscious face as the transporter shimmered around them that no, he hadn't really. He hadn't known hate. Not until this point. Dukat had taken Garak purely to hurt him.

***

_"Everyone breaks in time."_

***

After surgery, after saving the foot, Julian set himself up a little pallet next to Garak's bed in Garak's quarters. Everyone understood, of course. He was exhausted himself, but nothing worse than that (shameful!) and he didn't want to let anyone else take care of him. He wasn't sure if Garak would even let anyone else take care of him. 

He scanned the other man for the tenth time, and was mildly surprised to hear Garak murmur at him. He was pale against the dark grey of his pillow. 

"I'm quite all right, Doctor." 

"No, you're not. You were hurt. Tortured," Julian managed, swallowing hard around the last word. His hand hovered over Garak's cheek, but he didn't touch. Nerves tended to scream at one after torture. He didn't know anywhere near enough, but he knew that much. 

A soft, raspy laugh. "I'll be better if you lie here next to me and rest."

A cool hand around his wrist, tugging lightly. Blinking, Julian gave into temptation and cupped Garak's cheek, fingertips gliding along his cheek ridge. Garak turned his head infinitesimally into the touch. 

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You couldn't if you tried."

Julian gave in further, and very carefully eased himself in next to Garak. Garak opened his eyes fully for a short moment, and gazed at Julian. "Better," he said softly, and was instantly asleep. 

The look on his face-!

Everyone breaks in time, yes, perhaps that's true, Julian thought to himself. But perhaps, he thought, and had to take a deep, shaky breath. Perhaps some break, and come out whole.


End file.
